Method and system for providing reduced-sized contacts in a semiconductor device

ABSTRACT

A method and system for providing a contact in a semiconductor device including a plurality of gates is disclosed. The method and system include providing an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates and providing at least one contact within the insulating layer. The at least one contact has a reduced width that is less than approximately 0.28 microns

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, more particularly to a method and system for reducing charge gain and charge loss due to contacts in semiconductor devices, such as a flash memory device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional semiconductor device, such as a memory, includes a large number of cells, which are typically floating gate devices such as floating gate transistors. For example, FIG. 1 depicts a portion of a conventional semiconductor device 10. The semiconductor device 10 includes cells 20, 30, and 40 formed on a substrate 11. Each cell includes a gate stack 21, 31 and 41. Each gate stack 21, 31 and 41 includes a floating gate 22, 32 and 42, respectively, and a control gate 24, 34 and 44, respectively. The cells 20, 30 and 40 also include drains 29 and 39 and sources 19 and 49. As depicted in FIG. 1, the cells 20 and 40 share a common drain 29, while the cells 20 and 30 share a common source 19. Typically, each cell 20, 30 and 40 also includes spacers 26 and 28, 36 and 38, and 46 and 48, respectively.

In order to make electrical contact to one or more of the cells 20, 30 and 40, a conventional electrical contact 52 is provided. The conventional contact 52 is provided within a conventional contact hole 50. The conventional contact hole 50 is provided in an insulating layer 54 which otherwise covers the cells 20, 30 and 40. The insulating layer 54 insulates the cells 20, 30 and 40. The conventional contact hole 50 is filled with a conductive material to form the conventional contact 52.

Although the conventional semiconductor device 10 functions, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily realize that the conventional semiconductor device 10 is subject to unanticipated charge gain and charge loss because of the spacing of the contact 52 from a particular cell, such as the cell 20. The current trend in semiconductor technology is toward higher densities. In order to reduce the space occupied by a given conventional semiconductor device 10, the components of the semiconductor device are more densely packed and made smaller. Thus, the cells 20, 30 and 40 and the conventional contact 52 are relatively close. The thickness of the spacers 26 and 28, 36 and 38 and 46 and 48 is between approximately one thousand and two thousand Angstroms. The conventional contact 52 is approximately 0.28 to 0.4 μm wide. However, in general, it is difficult to provide conventional contacts 52 which are less than 0.28-0.3 μm wide. For example, in some conventional technology, the widths of the conventional contacts 52 are centered around 0.28 μm. This distance is approximately the smallest that an aperture in a photoresist mask (not shown) can be made using conventional photolithographic techniques. The photoresist mask is used in forming the conventional contact hole 50 by etching the underlying areas of the insulating layer 54. The conventional contact 52 is also closely spaced to neighboring cells 20, 30 and 40. In particular, the distance between the base of the conventional contact 52 and the edge of a nearest gate in a gate stack, such as the gate stack 21, is very small. In some cases, the distance between the gate stack and the contact may be between 0.15 and 0.3 μm.

The small spacing between the conventional contact 52 and the gate stack of particular cell, such as the cell 20, causes unanticipated charge gain and charge loss from the cell 20. Because the conventional contact 52 is typically separated from the edge of the gate stack 21 by such a small distance, the portion of the insulating layer 54 between the conventional contact 52 and the gate stack 21 is very thin. The combination of the spacer 26 and the insulating layer 54 may not provide sufficient insulation to prevent the gate stack 21 from being electrically coupled to the conventional contact 52 through the spacer 26 and insulating layer 54. For example, charge on the conventional contact 52 may travel to the gate stack 21 when a user does not desire the floating gate 22 to store charge. Similarly, a charge stored on the floating gate 22 may travel to the conventional contact 52. Thus, a charge intentionally stored on the floating gate 22 may bleed away. Consequently, the cell 20 is subject to unanticipated charge gain and charge loss. As a result, the cell 20 may not function as desired.

Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for providing contacts in a semiconductor device which has reduced charge gain and charge loss. The present invention addresses such a need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and system for providing a contact in a semiconductor device including a plurality of gates. The method and system comprise providing an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates and providing at least one contact within the insulating layer. The at least one contact has a reduced width of less than approximately 0.28 μm.

According to the system and method disclosed herein, the present invention provides a greater spacing between the contact and the closest gate stack without increasing the spacing between gate stacks or between the center of the contact and the gate stack. Consequently, a higher density of devices can be achieved while reducing the charge gain and charge loss through the contact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional semiconductor device

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a semiconductor device including a contact in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a flow chart depicting one embodiment of a method for providing a semiconductor device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a flow chart depicting one embodiment of a method for providing the contact in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3C is a flow chart depicting one embodiment of a method for providing the contact hole in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improvement in semiconductor processing. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.

A conventional semiconductor device, such as a flash memory, includes a large number of cells, which are typically floating gate devices such as floating gate transistors. The cells also include sources and drains. Typically, each cell also includes spacers. In order to make electrical contact to the source or drain of one or more of the cells, a conventional contact hole is filled with a conductive material to provide a conventional contact. The conventional contact hole is provided in a conventional insulating layer that may otherwise cover and insulate the cells.

Although the conventional semiconductor device functions, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily realize that the conventional semiconductor device is subject to unanticipated charge gain and charge loss because of the spacing of the contact and a nearest cell. The cells and conventional contacts of a conventional semiconductor device are relatively close. In addition, the width of the conventional contacts is limited by conventional photolithographic techniques to between about 0.28 μm and 0.4 μm. Furthermore, conventional contacts having widths of less than 0.28-0.3 μm are difficult to produce. Thus, the distance between the base of the conventional contact and the edge of nearest gates of a gate stack is very small. The small spacing between the conventional contact and the gate stack causes undesirable charge gain and charge loss from the cell. Because the conventional contact is typically separated from the edge of the nearest gate stack by such a small distance, the portion of the insulating layer and any spacer between the conventional contact may allow charge stored on the cell to travel to the contact, thereby bleeding away. For similar reasons, a charge on the contact may travel to the nearest cell. Consequently, the cell is subject to unanticipated charge gain and charge loss. As a result, the semiconductor device may malfunction, which is undesirable.

The present invention provides a method and system for providing a contact in a semiconductor device including a plurality of gates. The method and system comprise providing an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates and providing at least one contact within the insulating layer. The at least one contact has a reduced width that is less than approximately 0.28 μm.

The present invention will be described in terms of a particular device having certain components and particular techniques for performing certain steps. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that this method and system will operate effectively for other devices having other components and other techniques. Furthermore, the present invention will be described in terms of a particular semiconductor memory device. However, nothing prevents the method and system from being utilized with another semiconductor device.

To more particularly illustrate the method and system in accordance with the present invention, refer now to FIG. 2, depicting one embodiment of a semiconductor device 100, such as a memory, including a contact in accordance with the present invention. The semiconductor device 100 includes a number of cells 120, 130 and 140, which are typically floating gate devices such as floating gate transistors. Each cell 120, 130 and 140 includes a gate stack 121, 131 and 141. Each gate stack 121, 131 and 141 includes a floating gate 122, 132 and 142, respectively, and a control gate 124, 134 and 144, respectively. The cells 120, 130 and 140 also include drains 129 and 139 and sources 19 and 149. The cells 120 and 140 are depicted as sharing a common drain 129, while the cells 120 and 130 are depicted as sharing a common source 119. Typically, each cell 120, 130 and 140 also includes spacers 126 and 128, 136 and 138, and 146 and 148, respectively. Preferably, the spacers 126, 128, 136, 138, 146 and 148 are approximately one thousand to two thousand Angstroms thick.

In order to make electrical contact to one or more of the cells 120, 130 and 140, an electrical contact 152 in accordance with the present invention is used. The electrical contact 152 is provided within a contact hole 150 in accordance with the present invention. The contact hole 150 is provided in an insulating layer 154 which otherwise covers the cells 120, 130 and 140. The insulating layer 154 insulates the cells 120, 130 and 140. The contact hole 150 is filled with a conductive material to form the contact 152.

The contact hole 150 and, therefore, the contact 152 have a reduced with that is less than approximately 0.28 μm. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the contact hole 150 and the contact 152 is greater than approximately 0.2 μm and less than approximately 0.25 μm. It is currently believed that such a width will provide a greater distance to the nearest gate stack 121 while maintaining a contact resistance that is sufficiently low to allow the contact 152 to function. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between the base of the contact hole and the nearest gate stack, such as the gate stack 121, has increased by 0.05-0.1 μm.

Because the contact 152 has a reduced width, the edge of the contact 152 is separated from the edge of the nearest gate stack 121 by a greater distance than in the conventional semiconductor device 10 depicted in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, because the edge of the contact 150 is a greater distance from the edge of the gate stack 121, there is more of the insulating layer 154 between the contact 152 and the edge of the gate stack 121. As a result, the insulating layer 154 is better able to electrically insulate the contact 152 from the edge of the gate stack 121. In a preferred embodiment, there is sufficient insulation to electrically insulate the contact 152 from the gate stack 121. Consequently, charge intentionally stored by the memory cell 120, for example on the floating gate 122, is much less likely to travel through the insulating layer 154 to the contact 152. Similarly, charge on the contact 152 is much less likely to travel through the insulating layer to the gate stack 121. As a result, unwanted charge gain and charge loss may be reduced or eliminated in a semiconductor device which has components relatively densely packed.

FIG. 3A depicts one embodiment of a method 200 for providing a semiconductor device in accordance with the present invention. The memory cells 120, 130 and 140 are provided, via step 202. In a preferred embodiment, step 202 includes at least providing the gate stacks 121, 131, and 141. Step 202 may also include providing the spacers 126, 128, 136, 138, 146, and 148. The insulating layer 154 is then provided on the cells 120, 130 and 140, via step 204. One or more contacts 152 having a reduced width of less than 0.28 μm, such as the contact 152, are then provided, via step 206. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the contact hole 150 and the contact 152 is greater than approximately 0.2 μm and less than approximately 0.25 μm. It is currently believed that such a width will provide a greater distance to the nearest gate stack 121 while maintaining a contact resistance that is sufficiently low to allow the contact 152 to function. Also in a preferred embodiment, the edges of the contacts 152 provided in step 206 will be separated from the closest edge of the nearest gate stack by 0.05-0.1 μm more than in the conventional semiconductor device 10 shown in FIG. 1. Referring back to FIG. 3A, because the contacts 152 provided in step 206 have a reduced width, more of the insulating layer 154 lies between the contacts 152 and the nearest gate stack 120 without altering the spacing of the center of the contacts 152 from the center of the memory cells 120, 130 and 140. Thus, there is a smaller likelihood of unanticipated charge gain or charge loss without otherwise reducing the density of components of the semiconductor device 100.

FIG. 3B depicts one embodiment of a method 210 for performing the step 206 of providing contacts 152 having reduced widths. One or more contact holes 150 having reduced widths are provided in the insulating layer 154, via step 212. The contact hole 150 is filled with a conductive material to form a contact 152 having a reduced width, via step 214.

FIG. 3C depicts one embodiment of a method 220 for performing the step 210 of providing the contact hole(s) having a reduced width. An antireflective coating is provided on the insulating layer 154, via step 222. A resist structure having apertures above the desired positions of the contact holes is provided, via step 224. The resist structure is provided using ultraviolet light using a phase shift mask. In one embodiment, light having a wavelength of approximately 248 nm is used in conjunction with a phase shift mask. In a preferred embodiment, the apertures in the resist structure are approximately the same size as the desired size of the contact hole 150. The etch for the contact hole 150 is then performed, via step 226. In a preferred embodiment, the contacts are etched using a C4F₈/O₂/Ar etch chemistry. The method 220 ensures that the contact hole 150 and, therefore, the contact 152 will have a reduced width. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the contact hole 150 and the contact 152 is between approximately 0.2 μm and 0.28 μm. Thus, the components of the semiconductor device 100 can be more densely packed without suffering from the undesirable and unanticipated charge gain or charge loss.

A method and system has been disclosed for providing a contact having a reduced size. Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of gate stacks; a plurality of channel regions corresponding to the plurality of gate stacks, each of the plurality of channel regions being disposed beneath a corresponding gate stack of the plurality of gate stacks; an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates; at least one contact disposed within the insulating layer, the at least one contact having a reduced width of less than approximately 0.28 microns wherein the at least one contact includes an edge and wherein a distance between the edge of the at least one contact and a nearest gate stack of the plurality of gate stacks is increased by 0.05 to 0.1 micrometers.
 2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 further comprising: at least one contact hole within the insulating layer, the at least one contact hole having a second width that is substantially the same as the reduced width of the at least one contact; and wherein the at least one contact further includes a conductive material filling the at least one contact hole.
 3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the distance between the edge of the at least one contact and the nearest gate of the plurality of gates is no more than 0.4 micrometers.
 4. A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of gate stacks; a plurality of channel regions corresponding to the plurality of gate stacks, each of the plurality of channel regions being disposed beneath a corresponding gate stack of the plurality of gate stacks; an insulating layer substantially surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of gates; at least one contact disposed within the insulating layer, the at least one contact having a reduced width of less than approximately 0.28 microns, wherein the at least one contact is formed using an antireflective coating.
 5. The semiconductor device of claim 4 wherein the at least one contact is formed using a phase shift mask having at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one contact, the at least one aperture having an aperture width of approximately the same as the at least one contact.
 6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the reduced width is less than 0.25 micron. 